Jesus Walks on the Water

Matt. 14:22-24 Then Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people away. After sending the people away, he went up a hill by himself to pray. When evening came, Jesus was there alone; by this time the boat was far out in the lake, tossed about by the waves, because the wind was blowing against it.

Comments: The King James Version says “Straightway” Immediately; after satisfying to the full the wants of the multitude. It also says that” He constrained his disciples” they did not want to go without their Master. Yet he wished to be alone. He had come to the “desert place” for retirement; the multitude followed, and sought after the miracle to proclaim him King. His disciples probably sympathized. Hence he sent them, too, away, and stayed to pray and reflect alone. He wanted them to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, John says, toward Capernaum.

The multitude was very excited, so, great prudence and perhaps an exercise of some constraining power, was necessary. He went up into the mountain to pray, the refuge of Christ in every great crisis was lonely prayer

The boat was in the middle of the sea now, three and a half miles from the shore (John 6:19). The wind came rushing down from the mountains, and in attempting to make land at Bethsaida, where the Lord had directed, it was in their faces. Sudden gusts are common on the Sea of Galilee. There now begins a storm that was sudden and it became a violent squall, which all inland waters, surrounded by lofty hills intersected with deep gorges, will have at some time during the year.

Matt. 14:25-27 Between three and six o’clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified.

“ It’s a ghost!” they said, and screamed with fear. Jesus spoke to them at once. “ Courage!” he said. “It is I. Don’t be afraid!”

It was the fourth watch and to understand what time that was in the night we must be aware the Jews, who used to divide the night into three watches. Later they adopted the Roman division into four watches, as here; so that at the rate of three hours to each, the fourth watch, starting from six P.M., would be three o’clock in the morning. Christ saw what trouble they were in from the mountain-top, even though it was in the dark part of the night. Even so he would not go to their aid till his own time came.

They thought he was a spirit and apparition, an unreal appearance of a real person. The word is not that usually rendered “spirit.” He would appear to them at first like a dark, moving speck upon the waters, then as a human figure; but in the dark, tempestuous sky, and not dreaming and not dreaming that it could be Jesus, they take it for a spirit and they screamed out in fright.

It is I; be not afraid. How often has he to speak this word of encouragement, even to his own, almost always when they are brought suddenly, or in an unusual way, face to face with him.

The phrase It is I. Literally means I am. The same language used by Jesus in Jerusalem (John 8:58), for which the Pharisees would have stoned him, and in the Old Testament to designate Jehovah ( Exod. 3:14). Here I should prefer to give it this meaning: Christ says not merely, “ It is I, your Friend and Master;” he says, at least implies, it is the “I AM,” who is coming to you, the Almighty One who rules wind and waves, who made them, and whom they obey.

Matt. 14:28-32 Then Peter spoke up, “Lord,” he said, “if it is really you, order me to come out on the water to you.” “Come!”

Answered Jesus. So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus. When he noticed the wind, however, he was

afraid, and started to sink down in the water. “Save me, Lord!” he cried. At once Jesus reached out and grabbed him and said, “ How little faith you have! Why did you doubt?” They both got into the boat, and the wind died down. The disciples in the boat worshiped Jesus. “Truly you are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

Comments: Peter is led by no praiseworthy motives, but rather by vain glory. We can suppose the Lord bade Peter to come in order to teach him a lesson. He stepped into the water, but the roaring winds and rushing billows were to much for his faith. Peter’s act did not exemplify his faith, but his doubts. True faith never attempts wonders merely for the sake of doing them. It is a fact that ought to be noted that the Gospels narrate the failures in miraculous power on the part of the apostles as well as their success. No book of myths would do this. At the same time it is always made plain why they failed.

The winds ceased. They were safe, for the Lord was with them. Under his arms there is always safety. Not only did they approach him with an outward unforbidden gesture of worship, “but they avowed him, for the first time collectively, to be the Son of God.”